The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1887-08-03
VARIOUS VIEWS VENTILATED,
What is Said of the Acquittal of shoahan
And the Mass Meeting.
OPINIONS OF THE PRESS.
Laurens Cries, Halt!
News e. Courier.

Snenan was acQultteu III spite OF
his own testimony. The excuse of
the jury probably was that Bishop
had slandered members of Shea
hams family. This, nevertheless,
was not the Justification offered by
Sheahan himself. His plea at the
trial was that he slew Bishop in
defense of his own life. This, how
ever, was glaringly inconsistent
with his actual account of the kill
ing. The other excuse was of the
himsiest character, and would not
have had u feathers weight with
men VINO were resolved to maintain
and enforce tho laws Of the State.
Whatever the pretext, the jury
found that Sheahan was not guilty;
and that ends the tragedy, and
should end it, so far as he is con-
cernod. But the citizens Of Laur-
ems, who defined their grievances
and announced their purposes on
Monday, have now called a haltT
There will be les weakness and
Willingness among jurors hereaft-
err.
Laurcds, by the action Of Il body
of its citizens, gives high and pa
triotic example to all South Carroll
ma. Human life has been held too
cheap. Love Of family-the will
ingncss Of tho father, or brother, or
son, to sacrifice his life in upholding
the good name of those near to him
is traded upon by the murderer
and his advocates. Foul adVant-
age is taken of n sacred sentiment.
Better Is it-according to the rnling
practicc--that ten murdcrcrS es-
than that one woman shall be sup
posed to have been lightly spoken
of with impunity. TO such excess
has the evil run that it promises to
work its own cure.
There are Observation-Disclosures of
other kinds which are equally shall
law and unsubStuntial. AT the root
of them all is the scmi-barbaronS
notion that in a CT vilizedcemmunity
every man shall avcngc his own
wrongs when what is called "per-
sonal honor" is ut stake. Stanley
finds on the Congo the methods of
combat and reprisal which, to our
shame, aboundin cven old and sub
stantiaI cOmmonwehlths. But it
will be changed, and changed soon,
we hope.
Laurens is now in the van of the
forces of law and erder; and, as is
shown to day, is likewise. in the
lead in the march of industrial
growth and development. Success
to you! Laurens on the Hills.
GeoryctoCm Enquirer
If states Witnesses told the
truth it was murder, morally and le-
gally, with hardly ~ single pallia-
ting circumstance.
Bishop deserved n cow-hiding,
but he did not merit death.
The Laurens jury has added an
other to the long list Of judicial far
ces in this State and give q fresh
impetus to lynch law.
Ncw6cry II,rdid amd Nc,rs.
From the statement we first had
ofthe killing, itlooked very much to
us like II case Of wilful murder. We
rcfrained from comment because
this statement was but an cx part
account giving Mr. Shcahan's de-
tense, and III opinion in regard to
the crime is still that it was Il case
Of murder, if it is possible to make
out cast of murder in this com
try. But the jury rendered n YER
diet of not guilty, anil thereby JUS
tify Mr. Shcahan in taking the lif,
OF Mr. Bishop. Mr. Bishop WAS
shot down by Shcahan, who was
armed with two pistols, and while
he, Bishop, was unarmcd.
We not desire the blood Of any
man, but hnman lite is getting to
be too cheap. 1t is getting to that
point that men who have money,
it brings, do not mind shooting
down their ncighbors, for they fee
that no jury will convict them OF
murder. We sometimes wonder il
our people are not becoming oppos,
. | capital punishment any way
We think that if our ~jurics, in plain
cases of murder, would let the PEG.
pie know by their v"rdicts that
the guilty would certainty meet tho
stern mandates Of the law, there
would be fewer hOmli"idcS i'm thi-
state. More regard should be had
for the life Of our fellows. w,
should not put so low an estimate
upon human life as to feel at libcr
ty TO take it for an imagined wrong
or for little or no pr~Ovocation, anC
when we do take II in this way w,
should be made realize that our;
shall pay the penalty. Mr. Shea
han j. free, and of him personally
we have nothing to say. SO far a
this case is concerned the law can.
not trouble him more.
Since this trial the citizens o
LouIcns have held an indignation
meeting and condemned Shcahan
the jury and correspondent of til,
NGWS ana courier. THIS wo do no
think can do any good. Ccrtainl.
Sheahan should not be blamed 70
the verdict Of thejury. They hav,
said he is not guilty, and he can